Ripon railway station
{{Short description|Disused railway station in North Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{For|the future railway station in California|Ripon station}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Ripon
| status = Disused
| image = Old Railway Station, Ripon - geograph.org.uk - 643795.jpg
| caption = The remains of the station buildings
| borough = Ripon
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|54.145483|-1.514418|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SE318723|25|SE318723}}
| platforms = 2
| original = Leeds and Thirsk Railway
| pregroup = North Eastern Railway
| postgroup = London and North Eastern Railway
| events1 = Opened
| years2 = 6 March 1967
| events2 = Closed to passengers
| years3 = 5 September 1969
| events3 = Closed completely
}}
Ripon railway station was a railway station that served Ripon, North Yorkshire, England on the Leeds-Northallerton Line that ran between Harrogate and Northallerton.
History
Opened by the Leeds and Thirsk Railway on 1 June 1848. The foundation stone for the station buildings was laid on 18 September 1854{{cite news |author= |title=New Railway Station |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000076/18540923/017/0007 |newspaper=Leeds Mercury |location=England |date=23 September 1854 |access-date=9 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} by Mrs. A. B. Patience, wife of the station master.
On 11 August 1866 Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra arrived at the station for a short visit to Studley Royal. They returned the day afterwards to catch the Royal Train to Barnard Castle.{{cite news |author= |title=The Prince and Princess of Wales's Visit into Yorkshire |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000206/18660814/023/0006 |newspaper=Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser |location=British Newspaper Archive |date=14 August 1866 |access-date=20 August 2016 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}
It was taken over by the North Eastern Railway, which became part of the London and North Eastern Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The line then passed on to the Eastern Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. It was closed by the British Railways Board to passenger trains in 1967, and freight trains in 1969, as part of the Beeching Axe.
Proposals for re-opening
Today much of the route of the line through the city is now a relief road and although the former station is still standing, it is now surrounded by a new housing development. The issue remains a significant one in local politics and there are movements wanting to restore the line.{{cite web|url=http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2004/5/14/52376.html |title=Reopening line makes economic sense, says study |work=The Northern Echo |accessdate=1 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102201026/http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2004/5/14/52376.html |archivedate=2 January 2010 }} Reports suggest the reopening of a line between Ripon and Harrogate railway station would be economically viable, costing £40 million and could initially attract 1,200 passengers a day, rising to 2,700.{{cite news|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/3702743.stm|title =Backing for restoring rail link|publisher =BBC |work=BBC News Online | date=11 May 2004 | accessdate=4 January 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7035738.Railway_plan_may_be_back_on_track/|title=Railway plan may be back on track |work=The Northern Echo |date = 7 April 2003|accessdate=20 September 2016 }} Campaigners call on MPs to restore Ripon railway link.{{cite news|title=Campaigners call on MPs to restore Ripon railway link|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/campaigners-call-on-mps-to-restore-ripon-railway-link-1-6381730|accessdate=7 December 2015|work=Yorkshire Post|date=18 January 2014}}
In October 2015, North Yorkshire County Council included the reopening in its Strategic Transport Prospectus which was submitted to Transport for the North.{{cite news |author= |title=County Council include reopening of Ripon railway in transport plans |url=http://www.ripongazette.co.uk/news/transport/county-council-include-reopening-of-ripon-railway-in-transport-plans-1-7543073 |newspaper=Ripon Gazette |location=Ripon |date=29 October 2015 |access-date=20 August 2016 }} In February 2016 the County Council included it in its Local Transport Plan, but it is accepted that it is unlikely to happen until after 2030.{{cite news |author= |title=Reopened Ripon rail link back on the agenda |url=http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/reopened-ripon-rail-link-back-on-the-agenda-1-7716211 |newspaper=Harrogate Advertiser |location=Harrogate |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=20 August 2016 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Historical Rail Start}}
{{rail line |next=Melmerby |previous=Wormald Green |route=North Eastern Railway
Leeds-Northallerton Railway |col={{NER colour}} }}
{{s-end}}
{{Railway stations in the Borough of Harrogate}}
Category:Disused railway stations in North Yorkshire
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1848
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1967
Category:Former North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom) stations